Why Is Vitamin D Important?

You have been found to have low levels of Vitamin D in your body. This information sheet gives advice on some simple steps you can take to improve your Vitamin D levels.

Why is Vitamin D important?

Vitamin D helps calcium and phosphorous in our diet to be absorbed from the gut.
We need adequate levels of Vitamin D in our bodies:

To maintain strong bones and healthy muscles
For general good health and maintain a healthy immune system

There is also some evidence that it may help prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Where does Vitamin D come from?

1. SUNLIGHT:
2 or 3 exposures of sunlight per week between April and September can be enough to achieve healthy Vitamin D levels in fair-skinned people.
By exposures we DO NOT mean sunbathing.
The amount of sun you need is less than the amount that will cause tanning or burning.
20-30 minutes of sunlight on your bare arms and face is all that is needed 2 or 3 times a week.
The use of sunbeds is NOT recommended. / 2. FOODS:
Most foods do not contain much Vitamin D
The best sources of Vitamin D are:

Oily fish such as sardines, pilchards, herring, trout, tuna, salmon and mackerel – aim to eat at least 2 portions per week (125g or 4oz is ONE portion)
Egg yolk
Liver
Mushrooms

Some foods are fortified with Vitamin D. This means it has been added. These include:
margarine, some breakfast cereals and infant formula milk
For some people it is not possible to get either enough sunlight exposure or Vitamin D from the diet.

What is Vitamin D deficiency?

This simply means that there is not enough Vitamin D in your body.
It is very common – up to a quarter of all people in the UK are thought to have Vitamin D deficiency.
Most common reasons for Vitamin D deficiency / Types of people affected
You have an increased need for Vitamin D / Growing children
Pregnant women
Breast-feeding mothers
Your body cannot make enough Vitamin D / Those with darker (pigmented) skin
Those who do not get much sunlight exposure on their skin:

Housebound and institutionalised people
People who cover up their skin or wear sunblock
Elderly people who have thinner skin

Your diet is lower in Vitamin D rich foods / Vegans and those on strict vegetarian diets

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency

Most people will not have any symptoms other than vague aches and tiredness. Other common symptoms may include:

Muscle pains and weakness – this could be noticed as a slowness for a child to walk or difficulty when walking for an adult
Bone pain in the ribs, hips, pelvis, thighs and feet
Bone deformities – soft skull bones, bow legs
Irritability in children or poor growth
Late teething in children – the development of milk teeth can be affected

Do I need Vitamin D supplements?
Vitamin D supplements can be purchased from pharmacies and other shops without a prescription.
Strengths may be written as micrograms or units of Vitamin D.
If you have symptoms or severe vitamin D deficiency your doctor may prescribe you higher strength supplements or recommend that you buy and take a higher daily dose.
The following groups of people should consider taking a daily supplement:

Anyone with darker skin (e.g. African, Afro-Caribbean and South Asian origin) or those who cover up their skin for cultural or other reasons
Anyone with skin photosensitivity or a history of skin cancer
Pregnant women, or those who have recently had a baby
Anyone who is housebound or lives in an institution e.g. a care home, or those who have been in hospital for a long time
Anyone aged 65 and over
Anyone with certain gut (e.g. Crohn’s, coeliac disease), kidney or liver diseases
Breastfed infants from one month old if their mother did not have Vitamin D supplements whilst pregnant
All children from age six months to five years old, unless taking 500ml or more of formula milk each day (this is fortified with Vitamin D)
Anyone with family history of Vitamin D deficiency
Anyone who is vegan, vegetarian but does not eat fish or has any other non-fish eating diet

Recommended normal dose for adults / Recommended normal dose for children
20 to 50 micrograms (800 to 2,000 units) a day / 10 micrograms (400 units) a day
Are there any side-effects from Vitamin D supplements?
It is very unusual to get any side effects from the doses recommended above.
High doses can raise calcium levels in the blood which can be dangerous. This would cause symptoms such as thirst, passing a lot of urine, nausea or vomiting, dizziness and headaches.
If you develop any of these symptoms after taking a Vitamin D supplement speak to your GP.
If you have any general queries about Vitamin D supplements, especially about taking them alongside other medicines, your pharmacist should be able to help you.

Data Protection

Any personal information is kept confidential. There may be occasions where your information needs to shared with other care professionals to ensure you receive the best care possible.

In order to assist us improve the services available your information may be used for clinical audit, research, teaching and anonymised for National NHS Reviews. Further information is available in the leaflet Disclosure of Confidential Information IL137, via Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust website or the PALS Service.

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